SIX weeks of top-level international equestrian action concluded in Qatar at the weekend, with three days of world-class show jumping at the annual Doha CHI show. The highlight was undoubtedly Saturday’s five-star €375,000 Longines Global Champions Tour 1.60m Grand Prix of Doha, which saw a 10-rider jump-off in the Longines Arena in Al Shaqab.

The eventual winner was Belgium’s Abdel Saïd riding Bonne Amie, who claimed victory at the end of an exciting class. In winning, they also collected the maximum points to put them into the lead in the prestigious LGCT Championship race.

Saïd and Bonne Amie took the win by the narrowest of margins, with their foot-perfect performance a mere 0.21 seconds ahead of Wexford’s rising star Harry Allen on Calculatus in his first-ever LGCT Grand Prix! Allen did Ireland proud and secured a place on the podium on his debut, managing to out-jump legends like Marcus Ehning on Coolio 42.

Saïd and Bonne Amie had a number of super performances on the Longines Global Champions Tour in 2023, but the pair had not secured the elusive win. Speaking of his equine partner after their success, Abdel said: “I am really delighted with her, she’s an incredible horse, but she’s a sensitive big lady. I struggled a little in the jump-offs last year, I would maybe override her a little or not ride with enough feeling… but today it felt as though she matured and grew with some small changes and I am really thrilled that it came together today, she truly deserves this win.”

Sibling support

Meanwhile, Harry Allen, who was supported by his multiple Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix-winning brother, Bertram Allen, spoke of the well-executed plan, which led to he and 10-year-old gelding Calculatus taking second place: “I was very lucky, Bertram flew out yesterday to help me - we made a very good plan and it all came together. I’m absolutely delighted, my horse couldn’t have jumped better”.

Out of 38 combinations, only 10 managed to jump clear over the substantial 1.60m first round course, built by Uliano Vizzani, to get into the jump-off. Of those, just five jumped clear again in the second round, with time being the deciding factor.

The first double clear of the evening came from Abdulrahman Alrajhi (KSA) with Ventago, who finished in a time of 39.09 seconds, which was good enough for fifth place. Belgium’s Wilm Vermeir on Iq van het Steentje went slightly faster (38.44) to place fourth.

Germany’s Marcus Ehning rode Coolio 42 to take third place in 38.08 seconds and said afterwards: “Coolio is quite a new horse for me, I have had him for maybe half a year. Yesterday he was double clear in the GCL, and today double clear again, I am very excited for the future and more than happy.”

Saïd and Bonne Amie pulled out all the stops to finish in 37.33 seconds for the win, with Allen and Calculatus just 0.21 seconds behind in 37.54 seconds to take the runner-up prize of €75,000. Allen is currently ranked the number five Under-25 rider in the world.

The Longines Global Champions Tour heads to America next for LGCT Miami Beach from April 3rd to 6th.

Harry Allen (IRL), Abdel Said (BEL) and Marcus Ehning (GER), pictured on the podium, accompanied by Urs Schiendorfer, H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Mr Rashid Al Kaabi and Jan Tops at the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha \ Stefano Grasso/LGCT

Irish success

The show had started last Thursday, February 29th, when the Greg Broderick-bred Irish Sport Horse BP Pocahontas claimed victory in the five-star 1.45m Two-phase class at Doha.

This 10-year-old gelding by Emilion (KWPN) out of BP Hero (ISH) by Pacino (BWP), ridden by Britain’s Oliver Fletcher, crossed the line just over half-a-second ahead of Simon Delestre (FRA) and Cayman Jolly Jumper. Allen placed seventh with Calculatus in the class.

On Friday, March 1st, Denis Lynch on Cordial helped his New York Empire team into fourth place in the CSI5* 1.55m Global Champions League of Doha Round One, while in Friday’s second round at 1.60m, Lynch rode both Cordial and Vistogrand, alongside British team mate Jodie Hall McAteer on her two mounts, to take fifth place.

In the 1.60m R2 Individual Classification class, Richard Howley on Equine America Consulent De Prelet Z placed second, with Mark McAuley on GRS Lady Amaro in fourth and Allen on Calculatus seventh.

Saturday’s CSI5* 1.45m class saw a win for Denis Lynch and Vistogrand, when they were best of the 22 starters, jumping clear in the fastest time of 56.31 seconds, more than a second ahead of Belgium’s Abdel Said on Arpege Du Ru (57.40).